page_title: Clavier-Übung III
section_title: Allein Gott in der Höh' BWV 675–677
hierarchical_section_title: Clavier-Übung III / Chorale preludes BWV 669–689 / Chorale preludes BWV 669–677 (Lutheran mass) / Allein Gott in der Höh' BWV 675–677
caption_attribution_description: Original image description from the Deutsche Fotothek Freiberg. Große Silbermannorgel im Dom English: Detail of angel on left hand side of Silbermann organ in Freiberg Cathedral
context_page_description: The Clavier-Übung III, sometimes referred to as the German Organ Mass, is a collection of compositions for organ by Johann Sebastian Bach, started in 1735–36 and published in 1739. It is considered Bach's most significant and extensive work for organ, containing some of his most musically complex and technically demanding compositions for that instrument.
  In its use of modal forms, motet-style and canons, it looks back to the religious music of masters of the stile antico, such as Frescobaldi, Palestrina, Lotti and Caldara. At the same time, Bach was forward-looking, incorporating and distilling modern baroque musical forms, such as the French-style chorale.
  The work has the form of an Organ Mass: between its opening and closing movements—the prelude and "St Anne" fugue in E♭ major, BWV 552—are 21 chorale preludes, BWV 669–689, setting parts of the Lutheran mass and catechisms, followed by four duets, BWV 802–805. The chorale preludes range from compositions for single keyboard to a six-part fugal prelude with two parts in the pedal.
context_section_description: Almost invariably Bach uses the melody to express the adoration of the Angelic hosts, and in scale passages pictures the throng of them ascending and descending between earth and heaven.
  — Charles Sanford Terry, Bach Chorales, 1921
  Herr Krügner of Leipzig was introduced and recommended to me by Cappelmeister Bach, but he had to excuse himself because he had accepted the Kauffmann pieces for publication and would not be able to complete them for a long time. Also the costs run too high.
  — Johann Gottfried Walther, letter written on January 26, 1736
  Bach's three settings of the German Gloria/Trinity hymn Allein Gott in der Höh'  again make allusion to the Trinity: in the succession of keys—F, G and A—possibly echoed in the opening notes of the first setting BWV 675; in the time signatures; and in the number of bars allocated to various sections of movements. The three chorale preludes give three completely different treatments: the first a manualiter trio with the cantus firmus in the alto; the second a pedaliter trio sonata with hints of the cantus firmus in the pedal, similar in style to Bach's six trio sonatas for organ BWV 525–530; and the last a three-part manualiter fughetta with themes derived from the first two lines of the melody. Earlier commentators considered some of the settings to be "not quite worthy" of their place in Clavier-Übung III, particularly the "much-maligned" BWV 675, which Hermann Keller considered could have been written during Bach's period in Weimar. More recent commentators have confirmed that all three pieces conform to the general principles Bach adopted for the collection, in particular their unconventionality and the "strangeness" of the counterpoint. Williams (2003) and Butt (2006) have pointed out the possible influence of Bach's contemporaries on his musical language. Bach was familiar with the eight versions of Allein Gott by his cousin Johann Gottfried Walther as well as the Harmonische Seelenlust of Georg Friedrich Kauffmann, posthumously printed by Bach's Leipzig printer Krügner. In BWV 675 and 677 there are similarities with some of Kauffmann's galant innovations: triplets against duplets in the former; and explicit articulation by detached quavers in the latter. The overall style of BWV 675 has been compared to Kauffmann's setting of Nun ruhen alle Wälder; that of BWV 676 to the fifth of Walther's own settings of Allein Gott; and BWV 677 has many details in common with Kauffmann's fughetta on Wir glauben all an einen Gott.
  Below is the text of the four verses of Luther's version of the Gloria with the English translation of Charles Sanford Terry:
  Allein Gott in der Höh' sei Ehr'
  
  und Dank für seine Gnade,
  
  darum daß nun und nimmermehr
  
  uns rühren kann kein Schade.
  
  ein Wohlgefall'n Gott an uns hat,
  
  nun ist groß' Fried' ohn' Unterlaß,
  
  all' Fehd' hat nun ein Ende.
  
  Wir loben, preis'n, anbeten dich
  
  für deine Ehr'; wir danken,
  
  daß du, Gott Vater ewiglich
  
  regierst ohn' alles Wanken.
  
  ganz ungemeß'n ist deine Macht,
  
  fort g'schieht, was dein Will' hat bedacht;
  
  wohl uns des feinen Herren!
  
  O Jesu Christ, Sohn eingebor'n
  
  deines himmlischen Vaters,
  
  versöhner der'r, die war'n verlor'n,
  
  du Stiller unsers Haders,
  
  Lamm Gottes, heil'ger Herr und Gott,
  
  nimm an die Bitt' von unsrer Not,
  
  erbarm' dich unser aller!
  
  O Heil'ger Geist, du höchstes Gut,
  
  du allerheilsamst' Tröster,
  
  vor's Teufels G'walt fortan behüt',
  
  die Jesus Christ erlöset
  
  durch große Mart'r und bittern Tod,
  
  abwend all unsern Jamm'r und Not!
  
  darauf wir uns verlaßen.
  To God on high all glory be,
  
  And thanks, that He's so gracious,
  
  That hence to all eternity
  
  No evil shall oppress us:
  
  His word declares good-will to men,
  
  On earth is peace restored again
  
  Through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
  
  We humbly Thee adore, and praise,
  
  And laud for Thy great glory:
  
  Father, Thy kingdom lasts always,
  
  Not frail, nor transitory:
  
  Thy power is endless as Thy praise,
  
  Thou speak'st, the universe obeys:
  
  In such a Lord we're happy.
  
  O Jesus Christ, enthroned on high,
  
  The Father's Son beloved
  
  By Whom lost sinners are brought nigh,
  
  
caption: Detail of the Silbermann organ in Freiberg Cathedral
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